Mental Health and the LFB (2)

Hina Bokhari: Please outline all the stakeholder groups that the LFB has engaged with whilst developing its new mental health strategy.

Andy Roe (Commissioner of London Fire Brigade): London Fire Brigade has engaged their Equality Support Groups on the new mental health policy which are: Asian Fire Service Association; Disability Working Group; Emerald Society; Fairness; LGBT+ Sexual orientation and Gender Identity and Expression Group; Menopause Action Group; Parents and Carers Network; United MINDs; and Women in the Fire Service. The Brigade Joint Council for Health Safety and Welfare was also engaged on the policy.

Community Risk Management Plan (2)

Hina Bokhari: Why there has been a delay in producing the draft of the Community Risk Management Plan?

Andy Roe (Commissioner of London Fire Brigade): The London Safety Plan was first extended to the end of March 2022 because of the impact of Covid-19. There were concerns that it would restrict the opportunity for public involvement in the development of the plan and resources to produce the plan were also significantly stretched.
London Fire Brigade (LFB) consulted on the overarching intentions for the strategy in September 2021 and having reflected on the findings, want to give Londoners the opportunity to comment on the draft Plan itself. This will further increase the influence that communities are now having in the work of the Brigade and make LFB more accountable to Londoners. Consequently, a second consultation in 2022 requires a later publication date for the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP).
The CRMP will be delivered by 31 March 2023. However, the aim is to deliver it by the end of 2022.

Community Risk Management Plan (1)

Hina Bokhari: When will a draft of the Community Risk Management Plan be available and open for public consultation?

Andy Roe (Commissioner of London Fire Brigade): The timeline for publication of the Community Risk Management Plan is currently being finalised. However, it is envisaged that the public consultation on the draft Plan will take place from June – mid-July 2022.

Mental Health and the LFB (1)

Hina Bokhari: In answer to 2021/4018 you stated that the LFB were “in the final stages of developing a new mental health strategy.” Can you update me on this work and when the new strategy is expected to be in place?

Andy Roe (Commissioner of London Fire Brigade): The development of London Fire Brigade’s (LFB) mental health policy resulted from a request by the representative bodies to have a document that was clear about how mental health support and services are promoted in LFB, what interventions are in place to prevent mental conditions from becoming debilitating, and what treatment can be accessed by staff who are exposed to, and experience mental health wellbeing challenges. This policy document is currently in draft form. Feedback has been received from LFB’s Equality Support Groups and internal stakeholders. The policy will now go through the governance process and published following completion of that process.

Workforce Survey

Hina Bokhari: Will the LFB commit to undertaking full annual workforce surveys going forward?

Andy Roe (Commissioner of London Fire Brigade): Yes. London Fire Brigade (LFB) has procured a new survey platform and developed a new approach to staff surveys. This will include full baseline engagement surveys, along with periodic pulse surveys. The intention is to move towards more frequent and shorter pulse surveys. The platform is integrated into LFB systems and will give staff ready and immediate access to Brigade-wide results. LFB envisages the first survey will take place in late spring-early summer 2022. The independent review into London Fire Brigade’s culture will also be running their own survey prior to this.